Private sale in NC question

I am going to buy a firearm from an individual tomorrow... is there any info I should obtain from them? Type a sale document? I've only bought brand new firearms and I just don't want to be in a situation down the line where the firearm might have been stolen etc. Any advice? please and thanks. Also, I have a purchase permit, Do i need that in a private sale?

Jamesm760 said:

I am going to buy a firearm from an individual tomorrow... is there any info I should obtain from them? Type a sale document? I've only bought brand new firearms and I just don't want to be in a situation down the line where the firearm might have been stolen etc. Any advice? please and thanks. Also, I have a purchase permit, Do i need that in a private sale?

Click to expand...

For a handgun NC requires a PPP even on a private sale.

" I just don't want to be in a situation down the line where the firearm might have been stolen"


The only way to determine that would be if it has been reported stolen and to have LE run a check.

you can have it checked by LE, but i don't trust them either. if you know someone LEO, you might could ask them to check for you. i think a gun dealer can check also. they might charge you.

the only real thing you need is a bill of sell. the seller doesn't need to keep your PPP. they would just need to know you have one.

papa bear said:

you can have it checked by LE, but i don't trust them either. if you know someone LEO, you might could ask them to check for you. i think a gun dealer can check also. they might charge you.

the only real thing you need is a bill of sell. the seller doesn't need to keep your PPP. they would just need to know you have one.

Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that in a for a private sale of a handgun you surrender your ppp to the seller. If you have a chp then the seller would need to copy down the information or a photo copy of the chp. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

JABEACHFAN said:

I'm pretty sure that in a for a private sale of a handgun you surrender your ppp to the seller. If you have a chp then the seller would need to copy down the information or a photo copy of the chp. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Click to expand...

I believe the statute only states you have to have one, nothing about surrendering it on a private sale. Unless the laws have changed the seller is not required to keep any information, it makes more sense for the buyer to get a bill of sale though.

I purchased a handgun from an individual earlier this year.

we used this form http://goheeled.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/firearms-bill-of-sale.pdf

And I took cellphone pics of his ID, he took cellphone pics of my ID and CHP, plus the completed bill of sale form, which I retained.

If I buy a gun private, the only thing I need is their name on a bill of sale with a signature. I don't need to keep copies of the rest, and I certainly will not provide anybody a private record of my ID which could fall into the wrong hands. No sirrrrrrr! Minimal information for the sale and transfer.

WalkingWolf said:

If I buy a gun private, the only thing I need is their name on a bill of sale with a signature. I don't need to keep copies of the rest, and I certainly will not provide anybody a private record of my ID which could fall into the wrong hands. No sirrrrrrr! Minimal information for the sale and transfer.

Click to expand...

This wasn't out behind a white van in the WalMart parking lot, or a psssst psst at a gun show parking lot. And includes nothing that is not on the bill of sale or public record. If the other party refused to disclose this information by filling in the form, no deal, whether I'm the buyer or the seller. You certainly leave all that info with the store when you fill out a 4473 and show your ID and CHP or PPP.

Your name and signature does little to identify you, especially if you have a common name.

XD40sc said:

This wasn't out behind a white van in the WalMart parking lot, or a psssst psst at a gun show parking lot. And includes nothing that is not on the bill of sale or public record. If the other party refused to disclose this information by filling in the form, no deal, whether I'm the buyer or the seller. You certainly leave all that info with the store when you fill out a 4473 and show your ID and CHP or PPP.

Your name and signature does little to identify you, especially if you have a common name.

Click to expand...

It is not a store, it is a private transaction, and the seller or buyer are not entitled to personal information outside of what is required by law. Only a fool would give DL, social security number or any other information that may lead to identity theft. Your mileage may vary, you can do as you please.

WalkingWolf said:

It is not a store, it is a private transaction, and the seller or buyer are not entitled to personal information outside of what is required by law. Only a fool would give DL, social security number or any other information that may lead to identity theft. Your mileage may vary, you can do as you please.

Click to expand...

On this an many other gun and carry related forums there are many questions posed about what is legal, what isn't, can I do this, and similar. In almost everyone of these threads the one constant answer is that you "don't ask a cop" because their response may or may not be correct, either through their ignorance of the law, or willful misleading answers, because they don't like the law.

Thanks for your opinion, and I will follow your last advise, and do as I please.

The pretty standard bill of sale I linked to is frequently recommended for private transactions. If the other party refused to complete their part completely, the deal is off, more of the "as I please" aspect.

XD40sc said:

On this an many other gun and carry related forums there are many questions posed about what is legal, what isn't, can I do this, and similar. In almost everyone of these threads the one constant answer is that you "don't ask a cop" because their response may or may not be correct, either through their ignorance of the law, or willful misleading answers, because they don't like the law.

Thanks for your opinion, and I will follow your last advise, and do as I please.

The pretty standard bill of sale I linked to is frequently recommended for private transactions. If the other party refused to complete their part completely, the deal is off, more of the "as I please" aspect.

Click to expand...

What is not illegal IS legal. If there are no laws requiring certain personal information be provided for a private sale, then the sale is legal without providing it. If you know of a statute stating otherwise you should provide a citation.

WalkingWolf said:

What is not illegal IS legal. If there are no laws requiring certain personal information be provided for a private sale, then the sale is legal without providing it. If you know of a statute stating otherwise you should provide a citation.

Click to expand...

The most common advise is "don't trust a cop to answer a legal issue question" as they are often wrong either through ignorance or intent. As my ex-SIL is a deputy, and dumber than a box of rocks, I have nothing to counter that advise.

XD40sc said:

The most common advise is "don't trust a cop to answer a legal issue question" as they are often wrong either through ignorance or intent. As my ex-SIL is a deputy, and dumber than a box of rocks, I have nothing to counter that advise.

Click to expand...

Provide a citation to back up your claims, and people should not trust a provocateur, that uses smart arse remarks instead backing up their incorrect and absurd posts.

XD40sc said:

On this an many other gun and carry related forums there are many questions posed about what is legal, what isn't, can I do this, and similar. In almost everyone of these threads the one constant answer is that you "don't ask a cop" because their response may or may not be correct, either through their ignorance of the law, or willful misleading answers, because they don't like the law.

Thanks for your opinion, and I will follow your last advise, and do as I please.

The pretty standard bill of sale I linked to is frequently recommended for private transactions. If the other party refused to complete their part completely, the deal is off, more of the "as I please" aspect.

Click to expand...

This is the way to go, the name of the game is cover your buns, period. It has nothing to do with whats legal or illegal here. If you are doing a private sale with someone you do not know or ever heard of, then I want to know as much as possible and have as many records as possible to show I did the transaction legally and thoroughly. Just in case that gun is used later on in a crime or the person despite having certain documents is not allowed to own a weapon. I mean 1% of chp holders in this state are convicted felons despite the stringent background checks.

The end all be all is just go to a gun shop and have it transferred out of your name and into there's, problem solved.

I will not even sell either if you do not have a valid ID proof of residence and a PPP or chp at least and even then I would still prefer a gun shop. Now I have bought weapons privately, but I still keep the persons name and address just in case and in fact still email quite a few every now and again because they may have something I want or vice versa.

dashowdy said:

This is the way to go, the name of the game is cover your buns, period. It has nothing to do with whats legal or illegal here. If you are doing a private sale with someone you do not know or ever heard of, then I want to know as much as possible and have as many records as possible to show I did the transaction legally and thoroughly. Just in case that gun is used later on in a crime or the person despite having certain documents is not allowed to own a weapon. I mean 1% of chp holders in this state are convicted felons despite the stringent background checks.

The end all be all is just go to a gun shop and have it transferred out of your name and into there's, problem solved.

I will not even sell either if you do not have a valid ID proof of residence and a PPP or chp at least and even then I would still prefer a gun shop. Now I have bought weapons privately, but I still keep the persons name and address just in case and in fact still email quite a few every now and again because they may have something I want or vice versa.

Click to expand...

I would like to have a cite for that "1% of CHP holders are convicted felons". in fact, they may not have been cleared of it, also they must have been convicted of a crime and not just arrested.

how long have you had your FFDL?

Thanks for all of your replies... The guy was a noshow as soon as I mentioned bill of sale and me wanting to get basic information off of him. It's ok though, I just went to a gun and pawn instead and bought something else. (guess something was sketchy about the firearm after all)

Jamesm760 said:

Thanks for all of your replies... The guy was a noshow as soon as I mentioned bill of sale and me wanting to get basic information off of him. It's ok though, I just went to a gun and pawn instead and bought something else. (guess something was sketchy about the firearm after all)

Click to expand...

You have to go with your gut, but I would not give anything more than the law states. And AFAIK, the law only states you have to have a PPP, it does not even say you have to present it, just have it. In fact with a C&R license I can buy a handgun online without giving the dealer a PPP, again the law only states you have to have it. The only thing I would do if I do not know the source is get the serial number, and have the police run it, then ask for a hard copy if it is clean. That and a bill of sale would prove that a person did not buy a stolen firearm at the time of sale.

If your seller had actually been a crook, I don't know whether he was or not, after YOU give him your information he comes back and steals the same gun from you. Fortunately there is little to worry about, after I started reading this thread and I started looking there seem to be no used guns by private sale in classifieds or the internet.

WalkingWolf said:

If your seller had actually been a crook, I don't know whether he was or not, after YOU give him your information he comes back and steals the same gun from you. Fortunately there is little to worry about, after I started reading this thread and I started looking there seem to be no used guns by private sale in classifieds or the internet.

Click to expand...

Actually http://www.armslist.com/ is a website for used firearm classifieds, and there are several facebook pages that allow firearm listings. (which is were I contacted him after he posted he had an LCP for sale).. After I asked if he was willing to provide some of his info for the bill of sale, he deleted his account... must have been a fake one. I had a bad feeling about buying a used firearm, but the price was decent for it, but never again will I attempt to obtain a used firearm... Unless it's from a person I know

Jamesm760 said:

Actually http://www.armslist.com/ is a website for used firearm classifieds, and there are several facebook pages that allow firearm listings. (which is were I contacted him after he posted he had an LCP for sale).. After I asked if he was willing to provide some of his info for the bill of sale, he deleted his account... must have been a fake one. I had a bad feeling about buying a used firearm, but the price was decent for it, but never again will I attempt to obtain a used firearm... Unless it's from a person I know

Click to expand...

I have checked out that site before, a lot of pawn shop dealers. It may have been a fishy deal, but then if someone started asking me nosy questions I would ditch them to. Not saying your questions were nosy, but if I am selling a gun my personal information is not part of it until the deal, and then the information is only what is required by law. The only thing I would have asked for would be the serial number to have police run it. It could be you dodged a shady seller, or you could have just missed out on a good deal.

Again no offense, but I would not do business with you based on what you have posted, just me but you are not entitled to my life history to buy or sell a piece of merchandise. You could have been a individual luring a victim to a jacking, or planning a burglary while the person thought they were meeting for a sale. Things that happen commonly with Craigslist, and other online sale sites.

BTW if you go to the gunshop to transfer a firearm from a private sale, most likely you still are not going to get that privy information. The gunshop has no obligation, and in fact has to follow federal laws on giving out that information.